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1/6/2016 8:33AM

Saudi Arabia and Iran: The Tensions Explained

Tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia have escalated in the wake of the Saudi execution of a prominent Shiite cleric, but the dispute goes much deeper. WSJ's Niki Blasina explains what is behind the strained relationship and why it could jeopardize peace efforts in the region.

This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.

I ... tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia has escalated in the wake of the Saudi execution a prominent Shiite cleric him around them ... predominantly Sunni Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic ties with mostly Shiite Iran ... protesters angry about the execution ... star and set fire to the Saudi embassy in your and ... nations goes much deeper ... Saudi Arabia and Iran on opposing sides of the long running says in his last ... two Thursdays and she gets ... relations ... especially during the nineteen seventy nine ... Islamic Revolution in ... Iran ... the theocracy ... I read that cut diplomatic ties with Iran ... a study in the mid one thousand women die ... diplomatic relations were restored in nineteen ninety one ... for your ... a Arabia and Iran are locked in a competition for influence in the region ... competition is the driving force of conflict in ... the east ... Riyadh worries that the new clear agreement reached in July it's cleaner and less than five thousand from an area during adventurism ... the relationship person for other this past September after a stampede during the annual cost of an action fully Saudi city of Mecca ... that was sharply critical of Saudi Arabia's handling of the incident ... which Chair and that killed more than four hundred and eight the Iranian citizens ... now the execution of them around them or as ... Malaysians to a new low ... here's the good this year ... the sectarian strife across the region and jeopardize the average in Syria and Yemen ... Saudi Arabia and Iran are participating in multilateral talks in Vienna ... on spending less and Russia last year ... and into a binding agreement on the plans and serious in ... our ... getting that his country succumbed to a new treatment on Syria has already fraught with challenges ... Saudi Arabia supports the city dominated opposition ... in Syria and it seeks to housed Syrian president the child son ... meanwhile Iran and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah support the Assad regime of money weapons and soldiers ... if you are is also back opposing sides of the conflicts in Yemen ... Saudi Arabia launched airstrikes in the end of last year in support of an adult Yemeni President avid Rabbo Mansour had ... year-end support the rebels and haven't or a Shiite militant group known as the key ... there are also fears that this this year could undermine efforts to a common enemy ... in the Islamic State ... that effort like the ... involvement of both Iran and Saudi Arabia ... harder to get ... water ...